BUCYRUS — Music from a combined band of all six Crawford County schools filled Alex Kish Memorial Gymnasium at Bucyrus High School on Sunday evening as the Crawford County Veterans Hall of Fame Class of 2018 induction ceremony got underway.
The class of 2018 includes United States veterans Garland Ray Bloomfield, Ronald Lee Fuson, Lt. Donald F. Heydinger, James A. Heydinger and Dean Anthony Phillips.
“It is because of the sacrifice of our veterans that we are able to be here and enjoy the freedoms that we have,” said guest speaker LTC Robert Dunlap.
Master of Ceremonies for the event and former president of the Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, George Ondick, read the biographies of each of the inductees. Galion Mayor Tom O’Leary, Crawford County Commissioner Doug Weisenauer, state representative Riordan McClain and president of the Crawford County Veterans Hall of Fame, Charles Christman, presented plaques and medallions to each of the inductees or their family members.
Nathan Bloomfield, son of Garland Bloomfield, accepted the plaque for this father who died in 2005.
“Thank you so much, this means a lot,” Nathan Bloomfield said. “Thank you to all of our veterans.”
Garland Bloomfield was a U.S. Navy veteran who served in Vietnam and the Persian Gulf.
Ronald Fuson, an Army veteran who served in Vietnam, is a board member of the hall of fame.
“I am both honored and humbled to receive this award. It is one of the best things to happen to me,” said Fuson, his voice filled with emotion.
The award for Lt. Donald F. Heydinger, was accepted by his sister, Inez. Donald Heydinger was killed while serving in the U.S. Army during World War II when his plane suffered catastrophic engine failure and he attempted to eject but his parachute caught on the tail of the plane. He fell to his death in 1944.
“Donald was always in a corner reading and was interested in flying from a young age,” Inez said.
She said she wonders if he would have been part of the United States space program had he lived.
Chris Heydinger, son of James A. Heydinger, accepted the award for his father, a veteran of the U.S. Air Force. James Heydinger passed away in August 2015. He served in Korea.
“For those who didn’t know my dad, I just want to say the reason I nominated him was because he was a great man. He was the most amazing father, mentor and role model a kid could ask for,” Chris Heydinger said.
The award for Dean Anthony Phillips was accepted by his sister, Diane Dellinger, and brother, John Phillips. Dean Anthony Phillips was killed when his plane crashed while he was serving in the U.S. Army in Vietnam.
“This is a wonderful way to honor my dad,” Dellinger said. “I appreciate that the hall of fame board takes the time to do this.”
For more information about the Crawford County Veterans Hall of Fame, visit its website.
To view the biographies of each of the inductees, click here.